Dutch man arrested in Chon Buri on trafficking and overstay charges

Immigration officers have arrested a Dutch man in Chon Buri following an Interpol posting and notification.

The Immigration Bureau reports that Jacob Jan Schipper from the Netherlands has been arrested for human trafficking, operated a smuggling ring and tax avoidance.

He was arrested at a condominium in Sattahip, Chon Buri. When he was found Immigration police also seized cash 1.5 million baht cash and discovered more than 20 million baht in his bank account.

Suspect Jacob Jan Schipper, wanted in his home country over charges of human trafficking, forced prostitution and human smuggling, as well as tax avoidance and filing false information in tax payments from January 1997 to March 2000, was arrested on Sunday at a condominium in Soi Na Chomthien 24 in Sattahip district.

The arrest stemmed from a request from Interpol to help apprehend Schipper, who had allegedly conspired with accomplices to threaten and force 11 women into prostitution, to smuggle Brazilian women from the Netherlands to another country for the flesh trade, and to arrange the smuggling of five other women into the Netherlands for ill-gotten gains, according to Immigration Chief Surachate Hakparn.

Officers found that he had overstayed his visa for 1,856 days, just over 5 years.

Pattaya officials help a Finnish tourist sort out a lost passport and luggage

Pattaya Tourist Police have coordinated with local agencies to help a 53 year old Finnish tourist Jussi Harri Tuokkola. He’d lost his passport, luggage, cash and other valuable items on Tuesday.

The manager of the Grand Palazzo Hotel alerted Pattaya Tourist Police that Mr Tuokkola had sought help from the hotel as his luggage and passport were missing.

The tourist police contacted related agencies to help sort out his dilemma. Mr Tuokkola had neither cash nor any documents. The tourist police then coordinated with the Finnish consulate to help him as well.

The officers questioned him and found out that a friend of the tourist had earlier alerted Pattaya Police that Mr Tuokkola’s luggage had disappeared. The luggage was later found and taken to Pattaya Police to help find the owner.

The tourist police then took the the man to Pattaya Police Station to identify his lost luggage. At the same time, officers contacted Finnair Airlines to book a flight for him as the tourist used to work at the airline and had an open-ended ticket.

The Pattaya Tourist Police also coordinated with tourist police based at Suvarnabhumi airport and the Tourist Assistance Centre to help contact staff at the Finnair Airlines counter for him.

After everything was arranged, Tourist Police and patrol officers accompanied Mr Tuokkola to a bus terminal to board a tour bus, operated by Rungruang Tour Company, to Suvarnabhumi airport.

Good news all around for Pattaya officials in helping Mr Tuokkola get his luggage back and get to the airport.

Man stabbed at a Chon Buri karaoke lounge

Police were called to a karaoke lounge in Sri Racha, Chon Buri last night after a man was stabbed following an argument.

39 year old Chuchart Kamngern was found outside the lounge with a serious stab wound to the left side of his chest and was rushed to hospital in Sri Racha.

Thai Rath reports that staff at the lounge on Nong Khor – Sri Racha Road told police that two men had had an argument in the toilets before one returned to the counter, and the other person to the VIP room.

Witnesses say the man sitting by the counter then got a wooden club and hit the victim over the head. As staff tried to intervene, and the victim tried to run out, the assailant stabbed him in the left side of his chest.

Japanese tourist re-united with his bag and valuables

A Japanese tourist has offered his sincere thanks to a minivan driver, Pattaya’s Tourist Police and the Department of Land Transport.

The Pattaya News reports that 46 year old Japanese tourist Ryochi Mihashi had taken a minivan ride from Rayong to South Pattaya but left his bag in the van. The bag contained 4,100 baht, US$440, 56,000 yen, his phone and notebook.

The driver Somchai Bunsiri handed the bag into the Land Transport offices on Sunday after finding bag left in his van. The Japanese Embassy and local tourist police were able to help track down Ryochi and re-unite him with his lost bag.

Chief of the Pattaya Tourist police Lt-Col Piyapong Ensarn hosted a quick photo opportunity with Ryochi confirming that all was in order.

The Japanese tourist expressed his gratitude to the driver for his honesty, and the DLT and police for being able to find him.

The Thaiger is a deep resource for people looking for news, information, properties, lifestyle and travel articles about Thailand and our nearby region. Daily news is short, to the point, sourced originally and easy to find and read. The Thaiger also has a radio station in Phuket on 102.75 FM and Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter channels. The Thaiger Co. Ltd is a company registered in Phuket, Thailand.